The present invention relates to a new and distinct perennial variety of Westringia fruticosa, which has been given the variety denomination of ‘WES06’. Its market class is that of a shrub. ‘WES06’ is intended for use in general landscaping and as a decorative plant.
Parentage: The Westringia fruticosa variety ‘WES06’ is a seedling selection which resulted from a controlled pollination breeding program from 2005 to 2010 in Cobbitty, NSW Australia. ‘WES06’ is a progeny of an outcrossing breeding program which resulted from the cross pollination of female parent line Westringia fruticosa ‘WES05’ (unpatented) and a male parent line which is an unnamed sibling of Westringia fruticosa ‘WES05’ (unpatented). Controlled pollination of the parents occurred in 2005 and resulting seed from said cross was harvested in November 2007 and was sown in March of 2008 in accord with standard greenhouse propagation practices. In September of 2008, the resulting young plants were transplanted into 15 cm nursery containers and relocated to an outdoor trial area for field observations. Progeny were further observed for desired commercial characteristics, and in September 2010, one candidate was selected for its very low height, mounded habit, grey-green foliage and heavy flower habit. The cultivar was named ‘WES06’.
Asexual Reproduction: ‘WES06’ was first propagated asexually by softwood cuttings at a commercial breeding facility in Cobbitty, New South Wales, Australia in 2010 and has since been asexually propagated by division through ten successive generations. The distinctive characteristics of the inventive ‘WES06’ variety are stable from generation to generation; plants of the variety produced by asexual reproduction maintain the distinguishing characteristics of the original plant.